


Unexpected Protectors

by KibaSin



Series: Past Time [28]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Naruto
Genre: Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-20
Updated: 2013-07-20
Packaged: 2017-12-20 18:56:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/890687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KibaSin/pseuds/KibaSin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They showed up out of nowhere, and they're determined to protect Konohagakure. Why, why would they simply begin fighting for them? What reason do they have?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unexpected Protectors

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any material belonging to the creators of Inuyasha or Naruto.

* * *

"Akio, you're to go to the arena and protect the Sandaime Hokage at any cost. We cannot allow Orochimaru to go through with this plan." She turned to the other, "Haruki, you're to go to where their summoned creatures are attacking and stop them."

"Where will you go, Kagome?" the first one asked.

"I will find the Sunagakure shinobi and cause them to flee," she replied.

"You had a vision, didn't you?" the second asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "I saw that in years to come they will be good for their village. However, I saw that if we do not do this now this village will fall, and Orochimaru will rise to power. We cannot allow that to happen. We must protect our village at all costs, no matter what." Her eyes darkened, "It is our duty."

"I have one last question."

"Yes, Akio?"

"Are we going to die? Did you see that?" Akio asked, his eyes darkening in thought.

"You know that I cannot see what I want to see, Akio. I'm sorry, brother," she bowed her head. "I merely know that if we do not stop Orochimaru from completely destroying this village, then we  _will_  eventually die early deaths. I want to see my brothers grow old and have families, not watch you die simply because I did not do my duty."

Haruki raised his hand mockingly, "I have a question." Seeing her glare, he continued, "How is Akio going to bring down the barrier the Otogakure shinobi put up, when  _I_  was the one to help them create it?"

"Just do as I told you!"

They straightened, "Yes!"

They split up, the two boys taking a completely different route then their sister. They knew that going against her word was going against everything they'd been taught throughout their life, though it was strange that she was the one chosen to watch over their village by their last Kage. She was so young, she deserved to live her life as she wanted to, but instead she was chosen to protect them. So, they would protect her, do as she asked of them, in order to do so. Besides, she had created this plan, pretending to become Orochimaru's ally and then turning against him at the last moment. Confusing him, and defeating him, or so they hoped.

* * *

She moved as soon as they did, moving at great speeds into the forest area within Konohagakure. She was young, she knew that, but she had always been the best tracker her village, Hoshigakure, had ever had. Besides, when she'd had her vision, she'd made sure to remember the direction she'd need to follow in order to find the crazed Gaara and his sister Temari as he battled the Uchiha boy. Hopefully, by not only stopping them, she'd also be able to convince Uchiha that the path he now followed would lead him to evil things and possibly death.

 

Perhaps she could also get rid of that horrible curse mark she'd seen on his neck.

Moving faster, she glanced behind her in order to check the surrounding area. Finding herself on the right path, she streaked forward, her feet being fed extra chakra in order to reactivate the jutsu she'd used during their journey to Konohagakure. She moved at speeds almost undetectable to the eye, dodging trees and listening to the sounds that she knew she should hear soon. If she remembered correctly, she'd marked the fastest and safest route in her mind in order to arrive quickly, but things were always so much easier in visions.

Forcing the jutsu just a bit more, she heard the sound of splitting wood filling her ears. Smirking, she launched herself off the next tree, leaving a small indent to prove she'd been there, before turning her body so that it would rotate like a spinning top. Her hands came together, instantly making hand signs, and she felt it crackle along her skin like lightning, and rotate her at greater speeds. She hoped that the strange arrival would cause Gaara to pause and hopefully stop Uchiha Sasuke from trying to use his chidori for a third time, as she'd seen in her vision.

She doubted that her brother would kill Orochimaru, but she hoped to stop Sasuke from going with him in search for power. She hoped that she might be able to show him the best way to defeat his brother, who'd she'd seen returning to Konohagakure, an encounter she hoped to be around for. His brother looked like a powerful opponent, and though she was young, she liked to go against opponents that might actually be of some challenge to her.

The sound of chirping birds filled her ears, and she increased her chakra level, making the sound of her lightning like sphere pierce through the entire forest. It drown out the sound of the chidori, and probably caught the attention of many people within the area, but she hoped to stop them both. She hoped to arrive before the curse mark took effect again, and controlled Sasuke's decision on staying in Konohagakure. Her eyes took on a white appearance as she broke through the line of trees Gaara had destroyed and she found them both with their heads turned toward her. Gaara moved back, growling and drooling while he stared at her sphere, and Sasuke merely stood his ground, his hand losing the glow of the chidori.

"What the…" she heard.

Gaara growled. "Is this another one of your tricks, Uchiha Sasuke?"

She forced her landing in front of Gaara, slamming into the branch he'd perched himself on. He growled at her again, his normal eye and Shukaku eye narrowing at her, while his replicated Shukaku arm and tail held him in his stance, holding him in place as her chakra pushed against him. Throwing her arms out, she allowed the chakra to disappear, and then ducked down, knowing her eyes were still completely white, before pushing forward. The chakra still within her system caught him before she did, and when she connected with him, Gaara went flying into the trees, snarling as he slammed against one. She watched as he got up, shook himself, and then turned his attention toward her, but made no move to actually move from his current spot.

"Who are you?"

She turned to find Uchiha Sasuke standing next to her. Tilting her head in a slight bow, she stated, "Higurashi Kagome. Current Kage of Hoshigakure at your service, Uchiha Sasuke."

* * *

Haruki growled, rolling up his sleeves. "Why the hell did I get stuck with this again?" Shaking his head, he jumped forward, his teeth biting into his thumb in order to draw blood. Going into the series of hand signs needed, he thrust his hand downward and heard the loud boom that signaled his summoning. Flipping casually, he landed on the back of the large tiger, whom's head reared back and roared.

 

A shinobi landed next to him, kunai drawn. Smiling at the Konohagakure shinobi, Haruki said, "Don't worry, I'm on your side."

"What?" the shinobi blinked.

Pulling out his headband from his pocket, he allowed the sun to glint on the five-pointed star shape engraved in the front. "We're here to help."

The shinobi seemed suspicious at first, but sighed. "We need all the help we can get. I'll have you talk to Ibiki first, though. Stay here and don't move if you're on our side!"

"Of course," Haruki grinned.

* * *

The ANBU Black Ops faced off with him, though he sighed a bit. Akio pulled out the scroll his sister had given him outside the village, and tossed it at them, watching as they caught it. Reaching into his clothing, he pulled out his headband and swung it around his neck, bringing up the pieces on his clothing that he'd always used to secure it, and allow the straps to fall in front without a care.

 

The first ANBU nodded at the scroll. "You know how to break this barrier?"

"Yes, we helped create it," he replied.

"Why would you help create it and then destroy it—" the second tried asking?

The first thrust out his hand, and allowed the second to take the scroll from him. "Please, if you can, help us save Sarutobi-sama," he said.

"Right," Akio nodded. "Just stand back and when the hole opens hurry inside in order to save your Kage. However, you must hurry once I open it, for it won't stay open for long."

"Right," they nodded.

"Good. Now, let's get started!" Akio shouted, his hands forming the final sign that he needed. He launched himself from the ground, circling as he did so, and felt chakra coursing to his upper body. Positioning himself correctly, he made it look like he pushed himself off of a wall, and went sailing through the air, the chakra becoming visible around him, forming a visible barrier around his body. " _Crushing Barrier! Shooting Star!_ "

* * *

"Kage?" Sasuke asked.

 

She nodded. "That's me. I was chosen when I was born, and our last Kage died a year ago. I have been Kage since." Her eyes never left Gaara, but she smirked a little when seeing him get ready to launch himself back toward them. "Will you fight beside a Kage, Uchiha Sasuke? I already know that you cannot beat a demon vessel on your own, but perhaps with my help you can. Plus, I know a pretty fancy sealing jutsu that can nearly rid you of that pretty design on your neck."

His hand lifted, touching the curse mark on his collarbone. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "How do you know about the curse mark?"

"I see many things with these eyes, Uchiha Sasuke," she answered. "Now, I suggest you move to the right, right about… now." She sprang from her position, watching as Sasuke jumped out of the way as Gaara came soaring through, ripping the branch they'd been standing on in half, before slamming against the trunk of another tree.

"So, you have someone to help you, Uchiha Sasuke," Gaara mocked. "You cannot fight me on your own, you need a little girl to help you? Are you truly that weak, Uchiha Sasuke? We are much alike, but I see now that we are very different."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, watching the way Sasuke stiffened from his position. Jumping down, she landed so that Gaara's eyes would redirect themselves at her. Scowling, she glared at him, instead of showing him any other emotion. "Yes, you two are much alike, aren't you, Gaara? You two have the same sad eyes, yet you're very different. You have been shunned because of the people of your village, whereas Uchiha Sasuke was left alone when his own sibling killed his Clan. You both thought you'd found love in someone close to you, only to have it ripped away like it were nothing, but you're different. You were given love but not able to understand it, but Uchiha Sasuke was given love and understood it until the day his elder brother killed his family and he locked the feelings away. You seek a way to make yourself feel alive, but he merely seeks a way to kill his brother. They're very different things."

Gaara growled again. "What do you know of me? You know nothing!"

"I know more than one would think," she smiled. "You were never given love, and I was given false love. You were shunned because of your demon, and I was silently despised because I was accepted by our Kage, when born, for being unique. You killed in order to stay alive, and I wept in silence in order to understand the reason why I was having such a huge responsibility placed upon my shoulders at such a young age. You're hated and considered worthless, while I am the center of everyone's hatred, no matter who they are, because I was chosen for having the ability of foresight and thus placed into the position of Kage for Hoshigakure. It might be different reasons, but you and I are a lot alike."

She narrowed her eyes when he snarled. "Show some respect, boy."

Sasuke's eyebrow lifted.

"I am Kage of my village, whereas you're nothing but a boy allowing a demon to control you. You will either show me respect until you're able to control Shukaku, or I shall chase you back to Suna," Kagome growled.

Gaara sneered. "I do not care for your speech." He thrust his arm out, watching as the sand shot forward toward her. "Die!"

Flipping into the air, she allowed her hands to come into the signs that she needed. Her eyes flicked to the side when she noticed three other presences, but she ignored them for the moment. Her hands were thrust out in front of her afterward, and she hissed, " _Lightning Star Jutsu_."

Sasuke watched, jumping back to safety when he saw a large star-like shape appeared before her hands. She had seemed to stop moving, almost like she was defying gravity, and then she shot one of her hands forward into the shape she'd formed. Instantly afterward a bolt of lightning streaked from the star, slamming against Gaara's new arm, and as soon as the first bolt was gone, another took its place. The forest seemed to grow darker, and with each passing moment the star increased in size and more bolts of lightning shot out from the star's surface with each instant. Then, it suddenly stopped, and the girl was once again on her tree branch, though every once in a while lightning crackled along her flesh, and Gaara's sand was retracting toward him, blood dripping from his left arm. Unlike what he'd thought, the other arm didn't grow back, but the tail whipped around.

"You need to find a way to control Shukaku, Gaara. You need to find control, or you will never find what you're looking for!" Kagome hissed. "Do you wish to be hated and despised all your life? Do you wish for more people who you believed loved you try to kill you behind your back?"

Gaara reached up, images flashing throughout his head as he recalled what she was talking of. Yashamaru had tried to kill him. Yashamaru he had trusted and thought he loved; yet Yashamaru had turned against him. Since that moment others had always been sent to kill him, yet none of them had ever succeeded in even hurting him. He growled and snarled, wanting the memories to go away, while the voice of Shukaku became louder instead his head.

"Sasuke, are you alright?"

He turned his head to find Sakura and Naruto, along with some dog landing near him. He nodded, muttering, "Yeah." Turning his head back, he saw that the girl who claimed she was a Kage moved, placing her hands on Gaara's head. She didn't seem to be disgusted or even frightened by the fact that half of his face was covered in sand making it look like a demon and that drool was dripping down his chin. She merely placed her fingers across his forehead, two of her fingers resting on the kanji for 'Ai' that was there.

"I'm so glad," Sakura sighed. "Kakashi-sensei wanted us to come and make sure that you stopped this mission. You no longer have to do it."

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, Kakashi-sensei wanted us to make sure you didn't go through with it," Naruto exclaimed. "He wants us to return to the arena!"

Sakura frowned, "He never said that, Naruto. He simply told us to stop Sasuke from going through with the mission!"

The dog raised its paw, "I believe you should stop fighting. If you haven't noticed, there's now a strange shinobi and the one named Gaara is still quite dangerous."

She removed her fingers, watching as Gaara crumbled to the ground, the sand returning to his gourd. Her eyes were still white, and she felt his hand grab onto her loose pants when she went to jump away. Smiling at him, she saw that there was respect in his eyes and that Shukaku no longer controlled him. "Return to your home, Gaara. Take your sister and find your brother, and then travel home. Forget this ridiculous mission they've sent you on, and go on with your life."

"Why did you show me those things?" he asked, his voice ragged.

"Because, you deserve to know that I care. I care for everyone who I can see in my visions, and you are one of them. You do not need to kill in order to feel alive, Gaara, you need to learn how to make friends and keep them. Now, I can officially say that I am your friend, if you will allow it," Kagome replied.

He merely stared at her, and then allowed his eyes to slide closed, sleeping peacefully for the first time in years.

She jerked her head toward the frightened blonde leaning against a tree. "Take your brother, Temari, and return to your home. I will come check on him to make sure that Shukaku has not managed to take control of him again once I am finished here."

Temari glared, "Why should I trust you?"

"Do it," she hissed, "or I will kill you and do it myself!"

Temari, still frightened from seeing Gaara transforming, nodded. She moved and grabbed him so that he was leaning on her, and then glanced up at the other kunoichi. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Leave," Kagome said.

Temari nodded and they moved into the forest.

Kagome turned toward the others, and smiled. "Ah, how could I have forgotten."

Naruto and Sakura moved into defensive stances.

"I believe I told you I could get rid of that pretty design you've received there, Uchiha Sasuke. Once I've done that, I believe I will find my brothers and see how they've managed on their current missions," Kagome smiled brightly.

* * *

He crushed the barrier, watching as the ANBU Black Ops moved through it without trouble. Standing, still feeling like he was slightly on fire, he moved forward into the thick forest that had grown inside the barrier. The ANBU were already ahead of him, and he knew that the barrier had closed off behind him, but he saw one of the casters staring at him in disbelief, and muttering something about being a traitor. It was not his fault, he would do what it was his Kage said, and she wanted him to betray Orochimaru, therefore he would.

 

Akio moved forward, remembering that his mission was to protect the Hokage, which was most likely why Kagome had sent him to do it. Between the twins, he was better suited to protect someone, no matter who they were. So, wanting to prove that correct, he moved forward, searching out the trail that the ANBU had most likely left, and following it to find the current Hokage.

Moving more quickly, he heard someone shout out "Hokage-sama" and knew that something was wrong. Perhaps it had taken him to long to get there, or perhaps the old guy had done something stupid and gotten himself killed. He may have been a Kage, but he was old, and he may make a mistake and be getting quite tired by now. Akio's footing hit the ground once more, and he broke through the final trees, and found the ANBU Black Ops staring at the sight of their Hokage locked in a death embrace with Orochimaru, both of them panting. The Hokage was holding onto Orochimaru, a glowing sword stabbed into his body, while Orochimaru was gently moving his fingers in order to make the blade kill the Hokage faster. Then there was the summoned creature that was holding onto the blade, trying to save the life of the Hokage.

The man who was dying.

Akio was too late, but not late enough to kill Orochimaru while they were locked in such a way. In a flash he was standing behind Orochimaru, and he saw the confusion on the Hokage's face, while a kunai slipped into his hand and around Orochimaru's neck. The man stopped moving completely, and Akio smirked. "You didn't expect to see us, did you, Orochimaru?"

Sarutobi gritted his teeth together. "Who are you?"

"Higurashi Akio," he said.

Orochimaru hissed. "You're the Hoshigakure shinobi!"

"Yeah, Kagome—you remember her, don't you?—decided that she didn't like you very much," Akio grinned. "She decided that she wanted to make sure you didn't end up destroying this village in hopes of gaining a better alliance with them. And in return, I shall kill you in order to make sure it happens."

Sarutobi gave a small cry from the blade entering his body more, rising higher in his chest as Orochimaru tried to kill him faster to get away from the boy behind him. "Please," he panted, "kill him quickly. Do what I could not!"

Akio grinned, "Of course." He pressed his blade closer, and sliced it into Orochimaru's neck. He'd noticed that he did not even move, therefore he was not able to make a substitution of himself. He watched, as suddenly Sarutobi grinned, and then pulled himself closer to the blade going into his body, something obviously happening between the two. Then, a symbol appeared on the Hokage's chest and Akio knew that he'd sealed something, while Orochimaru's body slumped lifelessly.

"Thank you," Sarutobi smiled. "Thank you."

And he died.

* * *

"That's it!" Haruki shouted, watching as the giant cat he'd summoned knocked more enemy shinobi into unconsciousness, and destroyed another one of the creatures summoned by them. The Konohagakure shinobi were also cheering them on, and he noticed that the toad that had been summoned was almost doing damage to the enemy's defenses.

 

"You've got a lot of talent to summon a creature of that size, kid," Jiraiya grinned.

"Thanks," Haruki smiled. "Kagome's is bigger, though." He scratched the back of his head. "She should be here soon if the Sunagakure kids aren't giving her too much trouble. I think she also wanted to help someone with a curse mark from Orochimaru, but I'm not entirely sure."

"Still," Jiraiya said, "that animal is quite impress."

"It's native where I come from," Haruki replied. He was quite calm within the thick atmosphere, but he still hoped that his little sister was all right. He did not want her to be hurt in any way. "Kagome was the one who managed to make them agree to the summonings, though. Without her, we wouldn't be summoning any type of creatures, but we most likely would have brought an army to help you out if that was the case."

Jiraiya nodded, watching as one of the Otogakure shinobi shouted that they needed to retreat. And it was then that his sharp eye caught sight of the three children who had been fighting in the exams, watching as they moved toward the wall and then over it, heading in the direction of Sunagakure. At least that was one threat down, who knows how many more to go. He just hoped the old man was alright.

* * *

Sakura frowned, watching as Sasuke just sat there, allowing this strange girl to do whatever she wanted to do. She was making strange symbols around him, telling them to stay out of the circle. "What does this do exactly?"

 

Kagome sighed. "It will make it so that the seal is made from his own chakra, instead of another persons. With his will to remain out of Orochimaru's control, the seal will be flawless and make sure that he will never be put under Orochimaru's control. However, it will also have a little of my chakra embedded into it, which will make it so that the curse mark disappears underneath the skin unless the sealing breaks. Should that happen, it will summon me so that I will be able to place it once more. I doubt that will happen, though."

"Will it hurt him?" Sakura asked forcefully.

Kagome glared at her. "If you do not want me to help him then I won't, and I will allow him to be controlled by Orochimaru, bitch!"

Sakura's mouth fell open in shock.

"I may be in Konohagakure, but I am Kage of Hoshigakure. I will be respected, and I will not hesitate to either shut you up or kill you should you not keep your mouth closed. Either sit down and watch, or leave, girl, because I do not have the patience to speak with you at the moment," Kagome snapped. "I came here to help Konohagakure, when I could have allowed it to fall at the hands of Orochimaru. You should be thanking me, not taking a tone that I do not wish to hear."

Sakura blushed, lowering her head.

Sasuke smirked. He'd never heard any girl actually say such a thing, and it was quite nice to have one that wasn't pawing at him, instead merely wishing to help him to help him. And, she'd managed to shut Sakura up, who had been whining about his health since she'd begun making a circle quite similar to the one Kakashi had used when he'd sealed the curse mark. Plus, the Kage had said that when her seal was put into place, it should make it so that using his Sharingan would no longer hurt him, nor drain him of any extra chakra. In fact, she'd said that because some of her chakra needed to be embedded into it, that his chakra should increase a little, but she wasn't quite sure how having her chakra, which seemed to blend with his own, would effect him once inside his body.

Naruto merely watching; fascinated, while he patted the head of Pakkun. He'd been amazed when she'd simply sent Gaara and his siblings on their way, not even flinching at the look in his eyes, which had seemed to soft a little, or the fact that he was clearly nuts. She'd seemed to knock some sense into him, and Naruto hoped that was the case. Plus, she said she was going to be able to not only help Sasuke, though Naruto hadn't been aware he needed help, but also possibly make him stronger than he had been at the arena earlier. He wondered if she'd do that for him.

Kagome tilted her head this way and that. Nodding at her work, she looked at Sasuke. "Are you ready? It shouldn't hurt that much, but it will sting and you may need some help getting back to the arena," Kagome asked.

"Just do it," Sasuke said. He was slightly glad he didn't have to take off his shirt like he'd had to do when Kakashi had tried to seal the mark.

"Very well," she said. Bringing her hands up, she began making the hand seals that she needed and then allowed her chakra to travel into her fingertips. With the final seal, she shot her hand forward and touched the curse marking, along with the seal that was currently over it. The current seal shattered, and the mark tried to fight against her, but it became silent when her own seal began to form. His chakra molded with hers, as she'd hoped it would—instead of blowing up on them, that was—and the seal pulse in order to tell her that his chakra and will was pushing the curse down. Within moments it was harmless, and her own chakra embedded itself into the seal, covering the entire seal with the marking of the Higurashi Clan, thus completing the process.

Sasuke flinched, and then raised his hand up to touch the new mark. He could not even feel the curse mark anymore, and there was no longer any pain. He was glad, but he was also slightly surprised to find that his chakra had increased. Turning his head, he watched as she smiled at him, and then turned her head toward the South.

"I shall be going now, Uchiha Sasuke. If you ever need me, you will only need to touch that marking and allow your feelings to transfer into it. I shall come if able," Kagome smiled. "I hope that within a few years you will be able to get what you want."

He grabbed her before she was able to leave, watching as she turned back toward him. He forgot that Sakura, Naruto, and that strange talking dog were watching, while he grasped her other hand within his own. He wasn't sure if it was her chakra mixing with his own, or something else, but he felt the need to stay by this girl's side. To protect her, as she had protected him so unexpectedly. "I'm coming with you," he smirked.

She blinked, "What?"

"I'm coming with you," Sasuke repeated. He didn't see the shock on Sakura's face, nor the confusion on Naruto's. "If I have to, I will tell Hokage-sama that I am going to become apart of this Hoshigakure, if I must."

"I think something has gotten into your head that shouldn't be there, Uchiha Sasuke," she muttered. That was certainly not what she'd expected.

"You protected me, and this village, when you didn't have to," Sasuke said. He wasn't sure what was wrong with him, he'd never said this much to a girl before. "I want to repay the favor, and I will stay by your side in order to do so until I have either died, or repaid you."

"My home is much different than your own. You may not like it," she said.

"I'm doing it to repay you, not because I want to," he scoffed.

She nodded.

Sakura gasped, "Sasuke, you can't be serious!"

* * *

"Seems you've picked up a stray, Kagome," Haruki snickered.

 

Akio nudged him. "Yeah, where'd you pick up Uchiha, anyway? Did he just suddenly fall madly in love with you?"

"Both of you; shut up!"

They straightened, "Yes!"

Kagome smirked, seeing Sasuke do the same. "Now, tell me, how did you both manage?"

Akio's eyes dropped to the ground. "I was not able to save the Sandaime Hokage," he said, "but I did manage to kill Orochimaru. They were locked in a strange embrace, which froze his body, and the ANBU of this village were too shocked to do anything. I think they believed their Hokage was already dead, but I managed to kill Orochimaru before he could do a thing, and then a strange seal formed on the Hokage's chest. I believe he may have sealed Orochimaru's soul."

"That is a loss," Kagome muttered. "Someone will need to watch over this village, did they say if he'd chosen the next Hokage?"

"He had not," Akio replied. "However, they thanked me and told me that they would be able to watch over the village once we went home, and that they would be having someone named Jiraiya, or Tsunade watch over the village until they chose the sixth Hokage."

"I see," Kagome said. "Then we will need to go find this Jiraiya and tell him that we're  _kidnapping_  one of their own."

"What?" both asked.

"I'm coming too," Sasuke said.

"Huh?" they looked at each other.

"Now, continue," Kagome said.

Haruki muttered underneath his breath, glaring at the Uchiha. He would protect his sister, even her heart. "I was able to help them rid the village of all enemy shinobi," he said. "A third of the village is pretty much demolished, and they will need some time to rebuild, but it will survive."

"Good," Kagome nodded. "I will make sure to have someone come help them rebuild once we have returned home. And I will make sure to ask for an alliance from both Konohagakure and Sunagakure, since I believe I made a rather good friend with Gaara."

"The crazy kid you saw in your vision?" Haruki asked.

"Yes," she giggled. "Now, why don't we go find one of those people you spoke of," she continued, and then looked over at Sasuke, who was staring at her, "and then  _all_  of us go home."

"I still can't believe we're taking him with us," Akio growled. "You sure that's wise?"

"Of course," Kagome said. "One can never pass up the unexpected help, and he will make a good shinobi for the village. However, I doubt anyone will want him on his team, so he will work with you two once we return. You're ordered to be polite and do as he wants until he is able to grasp the ways of Hoshigakure." She reached into her clothing and pulled out her headband, before tying it to her side. "Is that clear?"

They grumbled, "Yes."

She smiled. Turning to Sasuke, she said. "You don't have to do this, you know."

"I feel I must," Sasuke replied. He saw her nod in understanding, and then watched as she pulled out another headband. Frowning, he said, "You saw this in one of the visions you have, didn't you? You knew that I'd be coming with you, didn't you?"

She smiled. "I gave you the choice, Uchiha Sasuke. My vision showed that you may, you may not, so this was your own decision. You don't have to put that on right now, but I suggest you do once we reach your new home."

_\--Fin_


End file.
